Muralitharan refutes Ranatunga’s 2011 WC final match-fixing claims, says 'India was the best team'

Sri Lankan Veteran spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan on 11 August refuted the former international cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga's World Cup final match-fixing claims, saying that there were no instructions to lose the 2011 World Cup final against India.

India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets with 10 balls remaining to complete a truly historic victory in front of hysteric crowd at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

"India was the best team and ours was the second best team in the tournament,” admitted Muralitharan on the chat show called Chat-athon.

Muralitharan who was rated as the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002 said the injuries sustained by both himself and all-rounder Angelo Mathews during the final clash of the tournament were the main reason behind Sri Lanka's defeat.

“We had a good opportunity to win in the final, but two things happened. I had a groin injury in the semi final and Angelo Mathews, who was among runs was completely out (final) because he was injured,” said Muralitharan.

"The batsmen were scoring runs but the middle order batsmen didn't click in few matches and the selectors made 3-4 changes and it was far than a regular team," added Muralitharan.

"(On winning the toss) the senior players and the selectors were scared of chasing the target and thought of batting first. But in my mind was to bat second because I thought India could chase any target and this was intimated to the team-management. This I had told to them with my previous tour experience of dew factor," he said.

"But Sanga said he has been promised by the match referee that they would spray the chemicals and no dew threat to the final."

Ranatunga on 14th July alleged that 2011 World Cup final match played between India and Sri Lanka was fixed and therefore he demanded probe.

"Investigations should be done on the World Cup final where Sri Lanka lost to India. The ministers who are talking now need to make sure their actions speak louder than their words. The time has come now for these players to confess on what happened and investigations to be done", media reports quoted Ranatunga as saying in a video which he posted on his Facebook page.

The 53-year-old said he was in India giving commentaries during the pinnacle tournament and was in distress after the team lost the match against the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side.